Warmth
by BlessedHope
Summary: Hundreds of years is a long time to gather guilt. One-shot


There is not much one can say when they have seen it all. After 400 years, what new sights can be seen? What is there to laugh at that hasn't at one point broken your heart?

Sighing, Jack drifted across the sky, facing the stratosphere. The sky was clear today, and the wind, though keeping him aloft, was not causing any branches to sway.

It was a perfect day, all things considered, but he wasn't feeling.. happy.

Frowning to himself, he dropped a little altitude, finding a tall sycamore to land upon. After finding a seat on a sturdy branch, he found his thoughts drifting.

Winter had just passed, at least in this hemisphere, but sticking around, he let himself bask in the coming of a new season. The sun felt pleasant, though his emotions were not reciprocating the warmth.

Pausing, his legs ceasing in their kicking for a moment, he pondered what Bunny would be up to, as Easter would be drawing nearer.

A grin crossed his face before it was wiped clear once more.

Bunny had been chipper these past few weeks, and he wished he could share in the joy. There was just too much pain.

Closing his eyes, he fell quiet. This past winter has been hard. The east coast, in America, had suffered a great hit, from a snowstorm of all things.

Creasing his brow, he couldn't help trying to negate his part, but how could he do that when he is the winter spirit? Answer? He can't.

It was what the wind was calling for, what it demanded really, who would he be to deny nature.

/screams/cursing/cries/mommy, where are you?/

Cursing softly to himself, he let himself fall from the sycamore, the wind catching him in his descent.

It would never left him fall.

/whispers/murmurs/she's... just late./

Winters were always hard, catching snowballs with Jaime made him forget. Smiles were able to cross his face, genuine in the moment.

Of late, even Jaime gives him sad smiles during the winter months. He is getting to be an understanding teenager, compassionate. The years have added an understanding to his eyes, something that Jack was both sad to see, and relieved, of a sort.

He was growing up, and with age comes wisdom, usually. When a child loses that innocence... It both makes Jack shudder and grin sadly.

Growing up is something everyone goes through. Even if it is only in mind, as the case of Jack stands.

Looking down, he continued his gradual descent toward a village.

It wasn't all too familiar, though he had visited a time or two before. The children he knew then would be much older now. Taking in a deep sigh, he landed and started his tour.

It was a small village. In it, no one was a stranger.

Frost followed him as he stepped along the pebble road. The people of the village would assume it was the last touches of it before spring took hold, and they would be correct.

Children ran along the road, shivering as they passed him. One passed through him and sneezed.

It didn't bother him anymore, not much did these days.

He saw them rush to their parents, looking at their features, Jack could not place any faces. Shrugging, he started to turn before the sight of a grandmother catching her granddaughter stopped his turn.

Her wrinkles were laugh lines, and her teeth were crooked, but there was a look in her eyes that was familiar.

Susan, his mind supplied. That was her name.

Walking closer, he heard her whisper in her granddaughter's ear.

"Look, me fille, look at that frost." Her delicate fingers pointed to where Jack had been walking.

"Grand-mere, why point at frost? It is almost spring, it is to be expected."

Jack almost huffed at the casual way she spoke of his element. It was beauty, especially just the little frost there was.

"It is not the frost itself my love, it is what it represents." The elder's smile simply gleamed.

"What is that grand-mere?" The girl asked inquisitively.

"Why, Jack Frost of course." The grandmother basked in her granddaughters confusion, waiting for the younger to ask the question for which she was waiting.

Jack just stared, slightly shocked at this development.

He knew that the smaller villages were hit the hardest when his storms hit, so who knew what this grandmother would say. He sat in antisipation, and a little dread.

"Who grand-mere?" Jack was a little sad to note the absence of recognition in her tone, but he waited patiently for the elder to explain. About himself. How strange a thought.

"A spirit of winter, bringer of snow and ice, of joy and in equal terms, sorrow." Her smile flitted sadly yet smoothly to the younger, and the girl looked very confused; as was Jack if he let himself admit it. Why would she bring this up in conversation?

"Grand-mere?" The little one started.

"Now, don't give me that look. I will explain." The little girl nodded, settling on her grandmother's lap.

"Jack Frost brings cold wherever he goes, it simply is who he is, a winter spirit. Looking over at that frost," She pointed once more to the now melting frost on the grass. "what do you see?" Turning her face to the little girl, she waited for an answer.

The little girl scrunched up her nose, a very cute look, and pondered for a moment before answering. "Well, I see cold, and little ice crystals. Pretty patterns."

The grandmother smiled at the girl.

"Yes, very perceptive little one." The girl grinned up, the elder smiled down as she continued, then once again looking to the road.

"There is joy to be found in those crystals, as we can see the beauty in them. They are a sight for sore eyes, are they not, sweetheart?"

"Yes, grand-mere!" The little girl grinned.

"There also is the grass underneath, is there not? It feels the cold, strains to feel the heat of the sun. The sun melts the ice, then proceeding to water the grass." The little girl struggled to get this, but grinned at the end.

"So, it makes the grass cold, but the grass is happy in the end?" The girl grinned, happy with the realization.

The grandmother smiled indulgently at her charge, fondly brushing her hair with her hands.

"That's right Belle. The grass grows cold, worries it will never feel heat, but it doesn't have to worry! In time, there will be growth. Perhaps not when it wishes, but the sun always comes out." Both looking at the pebble way, and the grass surrounding it, they look away when they fail to catch sight of any more frost. The grandmother's eyes grow sad for a moment, though Jack could not help but wonder as to why there was a sad crease in her brow. He wanted the lines of laughter to come back.

What she had said hit home, though he kept his thoughts on the two.

Touching the wood of the deck, the texture smooth, he noticed the frost extending to the poles holding up the gating of the deck.

The grandmother watched this, her eyes meeting his as he peeked over the bars.

He gasped, but tried to keep out of sight.

The grandmother smiled, looking back down at her charge.

"Yes, it is cold, but after the cold, comes the warmth."

The girl gave a smile, did she ever stop smiling? "So he is not only a bringer of cold, but he tells of the coming of warmth as well?"

Jack had to pause at that. Did he?

The grandmother, no, Susan, looked at him distantly.

"Yes, love. He may walk in the cold, which can be scary, but after the cold comes the warmth. He courts it, but they can never touch. They love each other anyway."

The younger frowned for the first time. "Grand-mere, that makes no sense. He courts it? How can he do that?"

Jack would like to know that as well. He's courted death a few times. Granted the proposal to others even! How can he court something so lovely?

/crying/whispers/groaning/

"He lets it follow him wherever he goes love. He allows the beauty to be seen in what he brings, but he allows the other to partake as well." She smiles at the girl. "Does that make sense me fille? They both love your smiles, but it takes both of them for growth to take place."

The girl smiled again, happy in her simple understanding.

"Oui grand-mere! J'ai compris."

(Yes grandmother! I understand.)

"Good! Now, do you believe in this winter spirit?" Her grandmother looked mischievous, and Jack chanced a look between them. Susan kept her eyes on her granddaughter.

The little girl jumped up and down excitedly. "Yes! He sounds nice."

Leaning down to whisper in her ear, "Well, keep an eye out next winter! Who knows, he might engage you in a snowball fight like he did in my youth."

The little girl gasped at that. Sprinting off, yelling to her brother. "Micheal, Micheal! Guess what grand-mere told me!"

The elder turned toward where the frost had met the wood.

"So, Jack, how long has it been?"

Her smile was just as beautiful as her granddaughter's, and he could just smile gently back.

"Too many years, Susan." His smile became slightly watery, and her grin just became gentler at that. It reminded him of Jaime for a moment.

"Do not blame yourself Jack. I certainly do not." Gently, she walked over and gave him a hug, catching him as he wept.

"56 this year Susan." That's all he had to say, and she just let him cry it out.

"None of them were of any fault of yours. You know that. The earth needs what it needs. You provide balance, not destruction." She whispered softly, comfortingly running her hand through his white hair.

"I wish I could believe that." He whispered himself, looking down.

She brought his head up, speaking forcefully, yet gently, now. "Look at it in the eye, you will know its true, if you yet do not." She smiled at his forced grin, shaking her head, lightly exasperated.

"Run off, Jack, you have joy to spread." She said lightly in his ear, pushing her away. "Not pain. Joy. That, dear boy, is what you do best."

He grinned mockingly at her. "Now who is the elder here Miss Susan?" He ducked as she swatted his head lightly. "See, you just won't admit it!" He grinned still, it intensifying as she smirked at his backing figure.

"300 years, 100, what's the difference aye?" She smiled at his wince. "It was a long time ago, Jack, the sun has come, and so has the snow. I still think of you every time, and now will little Belle." Jack couldn't help but grin brightly at this thought. Winter would be fun next year!

Susan smiled at her success, and Jack couldn't fault her for it either.

This year had been hard, most definitely. But the sun had come out to play.

Jumping up, he greeted the blue sky.

Courting warmth, I guess that rings true, doesn't it?


End file.
